This invention relates to a cowling for an outboard motor, and more particularly to an improved protective cowling and air inlet device for the power head of an outboard motor.
It is well known with outboard motors that the powering internal combustion engine is normally enclosed within a protective cowling so as to provide protection for the internal combustion engine and a better appearance for the outboard motor. The protective cowling defines a cavity in which the internal combustion engine is contained. It is also well known that the engine must be supplied with copious amounts of air for the engine induction system.
Conventionally, the protective cowling includes an air inlet positioned in the upper rear portion thereof. This air inlet generally has an upwardly and rearwardly facing opening and may have sidewardly facing openings as well to permit air to flow into the air inlet for supply to the engine induction system. Oftentimes, an air intake duct is mounted within the air inlet and extends upwardly to define an opening at the top thereof for supplying air into the cavity of the protective cowling and to the engine induction system. A cover is typically provided which extends horizontally and in the same general plane as the upper surface of the cowling. This cover is positioned above the air intake duct to prevent foreign objects from falling into the duct and for preventing water from entering into the interior of the cowling and damaging the engine and/or entering the engine induction system.
Although such arrangements are generally satisfactory in permitting air flow to the engine induction system but preventing water and foreign objects from reaching the induction system, under some operating conditions, such arrangements generally do not provide sufficient space between the top of the air intake duct and the cover to prevent the generation of unnecessary and unwanted noise resulting from the flow of air around the top of the air intake duct.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved cowling and air inlet device for the power head of an outboard motor which will provide a sufficiently large space between the top of the air intake duct and the duct cover to reduce noises resulting from the flow of air around the top of the air intake duct.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cowling and air inlet device for the power head of an outboard motor which offers adequate air flow and space around the top of the air intake duct and yet will insure that water cannot enter the engine induction system or the cavity which surrounds the engine.